NIU junior defensive end Travis Moore will miss the remainder of the season with a stress fracture in his left ankle.

Moore injured his ankle against Iowa State and missed four games before returning against Ball State on Nov. 1.

“It hurt when I was playing,” Moore said. “As an athlete you kind of block it out. It’s the no-pain, no-gain mentality.”

Moore will have another MRI in two weeks.

Moore was a first-team All-MAC selection last year.

NIU’s leading tackler, Akil Grant, who missed the last two games, is questionable for Saturday’s game against Toledo. Grant sprained his left knee before the Ball State game.

Sophomore linebacker Javan Lee also is questionable for Saturday after re-injuring his right hamstring against Buffalo.

Kruczek out at UCF

Central Florida head football coach Mike Kruczek was fired on Monday, said UCF athletics director Steve Orsini.

Assistant coach Alan Gooch will coach the team for the remaining two games of the season.

“We’re grateful for the many years of service Mike has given to UCF,” said Orsini in a UCF press release. “He has been instrumental in helping build the program to the point where it is now, but we felt it was time for a change if we are going to continue the growth of this program.”

Kruczek spent 19 seasons at UCF, including the last six as head coach. Over those six years, Kruczek compiled a 36-30 record.

His best season came in his first year, when the Golden Knights went 9-2.

UCF is 3-7 this season.

Central Florida has had five players suspended since Nov. 4, including the school’s second-all-time leading passer, Ryan Schneider.

Schneider is second behind Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper in completions, attempts, yards and touchdown passes.

Kruczek joins Eastern Michigan’s Jeff Woodruff as the second MAC coach to be fired during this season.

MAC schools ranked

For the first time in MAC history, three MAC football schools are ranked in the Associated Press top 25 poll.

NIU leads all MAC schools with its No. 21 ranking. Miami-Ohio, which beat Bowling Green on Nov. 4, enters the poll for the first time this season at No. 23, while BGSU is No. 25.

NIU and Miami are both in the top 23 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, while BGSU is 26th.

Azar honored

NIU kicker Steve Azar became the MAC’s all-time leader in field goals in Saturday’s win over Buffalo.

On Monday, Azar was named the MAC West Special Teams Player of the Week

Azar’s two field goals brought his career total to 69, which is one more than both Gary Gussman (1984-’87) of Miami and Rusty Hanna (1989-’92) of Toledo.

He added four extra points, for a total of 10 points on the day.

The Colorado Springs native is third in the conference in career points with 352.

Boogie radio

NIU junior safety Lionel Hickenbottom is the newest employee at the Northern Star.

Hickenbottom along with friend Desmond Bynum premiered their show on NS* Radio on Monday night called The Block, which features hip hop and R&B music.

The show will run live from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday.

Hickenbottom and Bynum, the cousin of NIU wide receiver Keith Perry, will have radio names of Boogie and Dirty Black.

A communications major, Hickenbottom said being on air is a hobby of his and something he wants to show off different talents with.

NS Radio is available over the Internet at northernstar.info.